The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has issued an administrative stay to prevent a lower court ruling from reinstating the straight-party voting option to the general election ballot. Previously, U.S. District Judge cited the coronavirus pandemic in issuing a ruling blocking the state from removing straight-ticket voting, stating that it would “cause irreparable injury” to voters “by creating mass lines at the polls and increasing the amount of time voters are exposed to COVID-19.” In 2017, the Legislature passed House Bill 25 to remove the option, but it delayed implementation until this year.
